Clutch, in particular for automobile vehicles

Abstract

A clutch suitable for automobile vehicles has a reaction plate which rotates with a first shaft, a friction disk which rotates with a second shaft and a pressure plate which rotates with the reaction plate and is movable axially relative to it. An axially acting elastic member urges the pressure plate towards the reaction plate. The elastic member bears on bearing members fastened to the reaction plate in the axial direction and is the circumferentially continuous part of a diaphragm Belleville spring. The bearing members are made from a plurality of distinct circumferentially elongate segments distributed circumferentially around the axis of the clutch. Each is individually attached to the reaction plate.

There is claimed: 
     
       1. Clutch comprising a reaction plate adapted to be constrained to rotate with a first shaft, a friction disk adapted to be constrained to rotate with a second shaft, elastically deformable strips extending tangentially to a circumference of the clutch and fastened at one end to said reaction plate and at the other end to a pressure plate for constraining said pressure plate to rotate with said reaction plate, axially acting elastic means adapted to urge said pressure plate towards said reaction plate, and bearing means fast with said reaction plate in the axial direction on which said axially acting elastic means bear axially, wherein said axially acting elastic means comprise the circumferentially continuous part of a diaphragm spring constituting a Belleville spring and said bearing means comprise a plurality of distinct, circumferentially elongate segments distributed circumferentially around the axis of the clutch and each individually attached to said reaction plate, at least one of said segments extends circumferentially in line with the end by which a corresponding one of said elastically deformable strips is attached to said reaction plate, said reaction plate comprising a first part constituting a support flange by means of which it is adapted to be attached to said first shaft, and a second part constituting the reaction plate proper by means of which it is adapted to cooperate with said friction disk, and each of said segments having a plate which comprises a first circumferential part through which it bears on the reaction plate and a second circumferential part axially offset from and projecting cantilever-fashion from said first circumferential part extending axially over a screw fixing the end of the corresponding elastically deformable strip to the reaction plate. 
     
     
       2. Clutch according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential distance between said segments is greater than their length in the circumferential direction. 
     
     
       3. Clutch according to claim 1, wherein said reaction plate comprises at its periphery generally part cylindrical side wall portions and each of said segments has over at least part of its length an edge flange in contact with one of said cylindrical side wall portions. 
     
     
       4. Clutch according to claim 1, wherein said reaction plate comprises a first part constituting a support flange by means of which it is adapted to be attached to said first shaft, and a second part constituting the reaction plate proper by means of which it is adapted to cooperate with said friction disk, further comprising fixing means attaching together said first and second parts and also attaching said segments to said reaction plate. 
     
     
       5. Clutch according to claim 1, including fixing means attaching together said first and second parts and attaching each of said segments to said second part of said reaction plate. 
     
     
       6. Clutch according to claim 1, wherein said second part of said reaction plate is of one piece comprising an annular part and generally part cylindrical side wall projecting axially from said annular part and being divided into a series of circumferentially distributed seatings and wherein the plate of each of said segments extends transversely to the surface of a respective seating and is attached to said seating. 
     
     
       7. Clutch according to claim 6, wherein each of said segments comprises, in succession from said plate towards the axis of the clutch, a substantially axial part surrounding said diaphragm spring and contributing to the centering thereof and a substantially radial part offering local axial bearing support to the side of said diaphragm spring opposite said pressure plate. 
     
     
       8. Clutch according to claim 7, wherein said substantially radial part of each of said segments has an arcuate bead projecting axially towards said pressure plate for said diaphragm spring to bear on. 
     
     
       9. Clutch according to claim 1, wherein said reaction plate comprises at its periphery generally part cylindrical side wall portions and each of said segments has over at least part of its length an edge flange in contact with one of said cylindrical side wall portions and wherein said flanged edge of each segment is interrupted in line with said second part of each of said plates whereby it extends circumferentially over part only of the length of said segment.